cadet blogs

Anyone who says that Swab Summer is easy is certifiable. It is designed to weed out those unsuited for life at the Academy, and later on, in the fleet.

Who wouldn’t want to wake up at 0530 in the morning? Every morning, we’d be woken up by the worst sound: reveille. After rushing out to the bulkhead, we’d work out for an hour, run back, shower, eat breakfast, and begin the day. When I write “work out,” I mean stressfully test how long you can hold the pushup position before getting punished for giving up. When I write “shower,” I mean sprinting to the bathroom, rinsing off with soap in less than three minutes, drying off, and getting out in less than six minutes—36 people, that is. Everything you do, you do as a team; you get a lot of time to practice, because every waking minute is occupied somehow. You get the whole experience—military trainings, math classes, athletics and team-building courses, etc. Everything makes you a better person.

I still follow the habits I developed over the summer. I don’t take long showers anymore, I prioritize better, and I eat quickly and don’t spill food on my uniforms. I keep my room much cleaner than I would have done if I went to UNC. But whatever people tell you about Swab Summer, it prepares for you the school year in the only way possible. There are times when I wish I was still a Swab, because Swab Summer is easy compared to the academic year. (My cadre told us this constantly, but I never believed them until now…my mistake!)